Category: Panel Upgrades

Can I Upgrade Electrical Panel Without Permit?

Posted on | by K Hopkins

hiring electriciansThe electrical panel is the center of electricity supply in a home or building. It is called several other names such as the distribution board and breaker panel. You can identify the electrical panel as a metal electrical service board, located outside the home, in the garage, or the utility room. It is a network of wires and switches.

Most people are a bit familiar with the electrical panel of their home. They recognize it as where you go to switch the power on after tripping the breaker. Others may know nothing about the electrical panel and are quick to call on a professional electrician for help.
Breaker panels usually last for as much as 25 to 40 years before needing any replacements or upgrades. However, the manner of use and appliances in the home can wear out the electrical panel faster.

You may need an upgrade when:

  • You stay in an old house
    A home between 20 to 30 years old might require an upgrade. The electrical panel may still top out 60 to 100 amps which are low compared to newer homes. 200 amps installs are now more in use.
  • You observe electrical problems
    These can range from several things like tripping lights, warm panel, burning outlets, and so on. Such electrical problems are signs of a fault in the breaker panel. They require the attention of a professional electrician as soon as possible.

Upgrading the electrical panel with or without a permit.
An electrical permit is important for any electrical work. This guarantees both customers and their insurance companies that the installations are safe and professionally done. You can install light fixtures and other minor electrical needs without a permit.

In some States, a permit allows homeowners to take on the project of upgrading the electrical panel themselves. This is dangerous and inadvisable.

As a homeowner, you may not understand the complexity of the electrical panel. It is not similar to other electrical installations, hence should only be handled by a licensed electrician. Unlike outlets, electrical panels always carry live electricity even when the breaker is shut off. Improper handling can lead to electric shocks, fire outbreak, loss of lives, and damage to appliances.

An electrical technician knows of all these dangers and has knowledge and experience to work on the electrical panel. They guarantee you safe wiring that lasts for a long time.

If you successfully upgrade the panel on your own, you would still miss out on installing new cables and an electrical meter. The licensed electrician will give you suggestions to save money on energy. They will also ensure that you know more about the local codes and the upgrade complies with current electrical regulations.

A licensed electrician’s work will take less time’ precisely about 8 – 10 hours to complete. It will also pass electrical inspections.

Final Thoughts on Permits

You should not perform any electrical wiring without a permit. Ensure that you have the experience and skill to do the job. If not, it is always wise to hire a professional electrician.

The Electric Connection of Los Angeles has trained electricians to perform panel upgrades. Please contact us today for more information on our services.

Should I Upgrade My Electrical Panel? – Los Angeles

Posted on | by Kim Hopkins

los angeles panel upgradeToday’s homes are energy vampires. We wake up in the morning, turn on the coffee pot, all the lights, maybe turn on the TV to catch the news. We have become so accustomed to having electricity, it doesn’t even cross our minds how the process of powering our homes work. Unfortunately, if we don’t learn, when something goes wrong, we won’t be able to fix it. As our need for energy grows, so must the ways we get power.

All of the power supplying your house can be found in a little metal box called the electrical panel, or main panel, or breaker box – it has a lot of names. Inside this box, you can find different things based on what type of panel you have.

In modern homes, you will find switches called circuit breakers. These circuit breakers start and stop the flow of electricity from the outside source to the different areas in your home. Think of when the power last went out in your home. You might have had to go out to find the electrical panel to flip back on the breaker. When the circuit breaker detects an anomaly it will trip off the breaker to protect your home from any damages.

If you don’t have circuit breakers, you might find fuses. This could potentially be dangerous. Unlike circuit breakers, fuses will not trip if they sense a problem. This could cause a problem that may result in a fire. If you have fuses in your panel, you might want to contact an electrician to see if you need a panel upgrade.

You may be asking yourself, “what other things call for a panel upgrade?” Well, there are quite a few things you can check out if you think you might need an upgrade:

Your home’s age – If you have an older home, it might be time for a panel upgrade, especially if you haven’t had one within the last decade. Older homes were not equipped to handle the loads we demand today which means that the panel problem isn’t supplying enough power. An electrician can help you determine if that is the case. Most likely you will have to upgrade from a 60amp panel to 100amp or 200amp panel. This will allow you to have more devices connected in your home.

Addition of large appliances – If you are adding a large appliance that will require a lot of power, such as a new dryer, refrigerator, or car charger, you may need to upgrade your panel or add a dedicated circuit. Again, this is an issue of not having enough power in your main electrical panel.

Frequently tripping breakers – As mentioned above, when your breakers trip, they’re protecting you from harm because there has been an anomaly detected. Too many tripped breakers could mean there is something wrong. A professional electrician can help you determine if there is something wrong with the circuit breaker or if you need to upgrade your panel.

Regardless of what is going on, if you think you need to have your panel upgraded, contact a professional electrician to help you determine the case. They will assess your situation and give you recommendations on what is the best course of action.

Whether you want us to rewire your entire home, or fix a single electrical outlet, The Electric Connection in Los Angeles will provide you with excellent services from skilled, licensed electricians.

How To Know if Your Panel Needs Upgraded

Posted on | by Kim Hopkins

Owning a home is great! There are many benefits… you can paint the walls whatever color you like, you can decorate the outside whenever you feel like it, there’s a yard your kids and pets can play in… but there are also some disadvantages – like when things start to break or get old. Sometimes it’s hard to know what is causing something to not work. Figure that out is only half the battle. With electrical issues, it can be hard to even troubleshoot the problem, let alone fix it.

When homeowners have issues with their electrical system, the big question is usually: Do I need a panel upgrade? Followed closely by the second question: How much does a panel upgrade cost? This article should help you figure out if a panel upgrade is necessary and the steps to determining a cost for it.

First off, what exactly is the main panel? The electrical panel is a hub of energy for your home. It connects all the electricity from the power lines outside your home to all the outlets inside your home. This is the place you find with a flashlight when your breakers have tripped off all the lights in your home.

Most days, homeowners don’t even think about their electrical panel. This is why when something goes wrong, it’s often a shock – no pun intended. As with all things in life, electrical panels will grow old and stop working. It’s important to check up on it from time to time. In addition to age and normal wear and tear, there are a few other reasons homeowners should replace their electrical panel.

Fuse Boxes
Homes built before the 1960s were equipped with fuses boxes. These were great back when there wasn’t a need for a lot of electricity. Nowadays, the strain that is put on an electrical box is greater. With circuit breakers, if there is too much power being required, it will trip to stop the flow of energy and protect the home from any dangers. Fuses do not have this safety capability and should be replaced to keep your home and family safe.

Older Homes
If your home was built more than 20 years ago, it might be a good idea to have your electrical system checked out. As with fuse boxes, older homes might have outdated panels or wiring that needs to be upgraded to go with today’s need.

Smells and Sounds
It’s never a good sign to smell burning or hear cracking sounds. If you are experiencing any strange sounds when it comes to your electrical panel, call an electrician immediately to get it looked at. Don’t just stop at your panel though. If you smell or hear anything in or around your outlets or switches, this could also be a sign there is something wrong with your panel.

Frequent Tripping
Even though the circuit breakers trip to provide safety for your home, they shouldn’t be tripping often. This could mean there is too much power being required from it. You may need a panel upgrade to handle all the load needed for your home.

Next comes the cost issues. Every panel upgrade situation is unique. A professional electrician should be able to ask you a few questions and give you a ballpark price before inspecting your home in person.

It is important to pay attention to the signs your home is showing you. The next time you’re searching for your tripped breakers in the dark, consider calling an electrician to see if you need a panel upgrade.

The Electric Connection of Los Angeles has been providing electrical services to the people of LA county for over 30 years. We are experts when it comes to panel upgrades and house rewires. If you need any assistance, please give us a call.

How to Upgrade a Panel Box

Posted on | by Kim Hopkins

panel upgrade los angelesOlder homes are not set up to have enough amperage to manage all the elements in the home. The panels in older homes only have around 60 amps, while today’s panels have 200 amps or more. The electrical demands of an older home can cause the panel to trip frequently. If this is the case, it might be time to upgrade your panel. It’s important to understand that this job should not be taken on by someone who doesn’t know much about electrical systems. A professional electrician should be used in every panel upgrade.

The first step to upgrading your panel is to get the correct permissions. Before you dig into your circuit breaker panel, you need to check with your local building and safety. You will need to obtain a permit to start working on your electrical box. If you do not get the proper clearance first, you may get in trouble later. Once the job is complete you may have to call an inspector out to make sure the job was done to code.

After you have the correct permissions, the next step is to open up the panel and take a look at what you have. Check out what breakers control the different parts of the home. The bathroom and kitchen should be fine to leave alone but the power to other areas of the home may need to be assessed. Here is were a multimeter or voltmeter comes into play. Turn on all the power in your home and scan all the devices you are using. Take a look at the circuit load and compare it with the capacity. Doing this will help you see if it’s near the limit.

The next step is to install the panel. The most important step is to turn off all the electricity. This is vital as any electric going to the panel can cause great danger. Begin removing all the circuits from the panel and place them all to one side – you can scrap these all at a later time. Attach the new panel into the wall by screws and cut a small piece of insulation from the wires. Rewire the panel as it looked before and attach the circuit breakers to the panel.

The circuits that were overloaded or near to being overloaded should be divided into different parts now. Place the new circuit breakers into the new slots and locate the wires that need to be enlarged. Use these wires with the new breakers. Make sure that the neutral and grounded wires are placed securely before moving on.

Once you have completed the process, you should be up and running with a brand new panel. The tripping circuit breakers should be working fine now with the additional space for loads.

Please note that you should not complete this process unless you are sure you know what you are doing. A professional electrician is the best way to go if you are unsure.

The Electric Connection is proud to serve Los Angeles and the surrounding areas. We are professional electricians who specialize in new panel upgrades. If you think your panel needs to be upgraded, please contact us today.

2018 Panel Upgrade Cost

Posted on | by Kim Hopkins

panel upgradeLiving in the country or the city, your home greatly relies on your electrical system. Your electrical panel box provides all the electricity to different areas in your home. It’s the first connection to outside power and distributes it throughout the rooms in your home. When it comes time for an upgrade, many different elements go into determining a price. Before you decide that you need a panel upgrade, make sure to run through all the factors before making the big decision.

The average homeowner can expect to pay between $250 to over $1,500 for a new panel upgrade in 2018. In the nation, the average cost to upgrade a panel is around $1,100. Lower amperage panels that don’t need an upgrade but only replaced can be as low as $125 – not including labor or other related costs. Larger panels may be around $3,000 to replace or upgrade.

The cost of labor may be a big part of the total cost. It usually takes from 8 to 10 hours to complete a panel upgrade. Most electricians charge from $50 to $80 an hour. Keeping all that in mind, it can cost anywhere from $500 to $800 for the labor to upgrade a panel.

Thinking about it, it’s quite reasonable. It’s not easy to upgrade a residential panel and you shouldn’t choose just anyone to do so. A professional electrician who is licensed and insured should be chosen to complete the job.

200 Amp Panel Upgrade Cost

When upgrading your panel to a 200-amp service, the cost can be from $1,300 to $3,000 including installation fees. All situations are different which means it could be more or less depending on your home’s setup. Every single installation is unique. An electrician with knowledge about upgrading panels should be able to assess your situation and give you an accurate quote before beginning the job.

Many factors go into the cost of a panel upgrade. It’s important to look at every aspect of your job and understand it completely – that way there are no surprises in the end. Consult with a professional electrician if you have any questions.

The Electric Connection has performed many panel upgrades throughout the Los Angeles area. Our electricians are trained and knowledgeable about all aspects of electrical work. Contact us today if you are in need of a panel upgrade.

Please note: these prices do not reflect those of The Electric Connection. Please contact us for an estimate regarding your electrical panel upgrade.

Electric Panel 101 by Pasadena Electrician

Posted on | by Kim Hopkins

You have probably seen it a hundred times, but how much do you really know about your home’s electric panel? If you are having some difficulties with the electric in your home, you probably know the electric panel is, because you have dealt with tripping breakers. So, just what does the electric panel mean to you? An electrician in Pasadena, like those at The Electric Connection, will give you a brief overview of an electric panel and why it may be time to upgrade your existing panel to prevent any further electrical problems in the home.

The electric panel is the main source of electricity for your home. It is the hub. The electricity flows from the main power pole outside into the electric panel. From there, one main breaker is used to essentially direct the flow of traffic to the many smaller breakers in the panel explains an electrician. Pasadena homeowners that seem to be tripping breakers likely have too little electricity coming in for their power needs. When the breaker trips, it is usually due to it being overloaded.

Having a Pasadena electrician install more breakers to help lighten the load on one particular breaker is an excellent option. An additional breaker can support additional outlets in a room that will keep one breaker from supporting all the electrical demands. However, in order to do this, there must be enough electricity coming in through the main breaker. If there isn’t, you will need to upgrade the panel to bring in more electricity from the outside pole. This is something that can be determined by an inspection. Give The Electric Connection a call today and have your electric panel inspection done to see what you can do to make your home a little more functional for you and your needs.

Symptoms of a Bad Electric Panel by Glendale Electrician

Posted on | by Kim Hopkins

glendale electricianElectrical problems in your home can be tough for the average person to diagnose. You only know the symptoms and not the cause. Some symptoms can indicate a whole slew of potential problems, making it difficult for you to determine what exactly is wrong. You could be dealing with a minor problem with an appliance that has nothing to do with your home’s electrical or it could be something far bigger. The best option is to rely on an electrician in Glendale to diagnose the problem. You can call the team at The Electric Connection to set up an appointment for an inspection. From there, one of the trained professionals can determine the exact cause and what is needed to fix the issue.

There are a few warning signs that can help point to a bad electric panel that will need to be upgraded or replaced by a Glendale electrician.

*Breakers seem to trip often and without any real cause. This could indicate a bad breaker or signify a much bigger problem happening within the electric panel.

*If you smell burning wires coming from the general area of the panel, you have a serious problem and need to call an electrician. Glendale homeowners will want to avoid using electricity in their home until the panel can be checked out.

*If a breaker is reset after tripping, but it trips again a few minutes later, it is likely a problem with the electric panel.

*A panel that is more than 20 years old should be inspected just to make sure it is still operating safely. There are some panels that have been proven to be dangerous. These were installed in the 80s and early 90s. Your Glendale electrician can tell you if your panel is one of the brands known to cause issues.

If you are simply not sure whether your electric panel is safe, call The Electric Connection for an inspection to determine if there is anything to be concerned about.

Tripping Breakers Explained by Los Angeles Electrician

Posted on | by Kim Hopkins

Have you ever started the dishwasher while trying to make a quick breakfast in the microwave or with the toaster only to have the entire kitchen go dark? Or maybe you are running a space heater and it shuts down with no warning. Tripping breakers can be a real annoyance. The frustration of having to reset clocks or reprogram your electronics is not cool, but a tripping breaker goes beyond being just an irritation. It can be a major warning sign that there is trouble brewing in your electrical system. Your Los Angeles electrician wants you to take your tripping breaker seriously. The team at The Electric Connection can help you get to the bottom of the problem.

To help you understand why a tripping breaker is a bad thing, your electrician in Los Angeles will explain a bit. When a breaker trips or shuts off, it is because it is likely on the verge of overheating. The tripping or cutting of power to the outlets that are in use on that circuit, is a safety mechanism. If the breaker didn’t trip, the breaker would overheat, spark and cause an electrical fire. Constantly resetting a breaker that is tripping is risky. The breaker is protecting you and by forcing it to stay on, you are putting your home at great risk of fire.

The reason the breaker trips may be something as simple as the circuit being overloaded explains an electrician. Los Angeles residents, you have too many appliances drawing too much electricity at the same time. A remedy would be to unplug items and do a little rearranging to lighten the load on one breaker. Another option would be to have another circuit breaker installed so you could distribute your power needs. If you have a tripping breaker, give The Electric Connection a call and have it checked out.

Do You Need an Electric Panel Upgrade? Electrician Answers

Posted on | by Kim Hopkins

electriccon_11_7Have you been struggling with what feels like a lack of electricity in your home? You don’t have enough outlets and have extension cords plugged in here and there. Maybe you have to unplug appliances in the kitchen so you can use another one. Your microwave and toaster can’t run at the same time or your breaker trips. These are all major inconveniences and at times, they can pose a fire hazard. It may be time to consider an electric panel upgrade. The crew at The Electric Connection is familiar with this particular job and can get it done professionally and efficiently for you.

An electric panel upgrade is typically needed for homes that were built before the 1980s. 30 to 40 years ago and of course long before that, homes didn’t have even half of the appliances that we have today. There wasn’t a computer, television and even a mini fridge in every room. Today, we are very dependent on the gadgets that run our life and make life easier and that means we are very dependent on the electricity needed to keep them going. An electrician in California can upgrade the panel and give you the additional electricity you need to make your home run smoother.

Once the panel is upgraded to 200 amp or higher service, you can have additional outlets installed. You can have some of the outlets in the kitchen put on separate breakers so you can run your microwave, toaster and coffee maker at the same time. You will discover the upgrade truly makes your life a little easier. You may even be able to save some time in the morning and will absolutely reduce your frustration as you work around your electrical problems. Your California electrician is ready to help. Just give The Electric Connection a call today and schedule your initial consultation.

5 Reasons to Upgrade an Electric Panel by Pasadena Electrician

Posted on | by Kim Hopkins

electricon5_5-16That dull gray box that sits outside your home isn’t something you pay a lot of attention to. In the house, there is a gray panel that fits into the wall and is somewhere out of the way. Again, you don’t even know it is there unless you are looking for it. Every home has an electric panel. Fortunately, the average homeowner never has to do much with it. Occasionally you may need to open it up to turn a breaker off or on or maybe reset a tripped breaker. However, if you are in and out of that electric panel several times a week, you need an electrician. Pasadena homeowners who are not comfortable with how often they are messing with their electric panel can call The Electric Connection for help. You may need a panel upgrade.

There are several reasons you should consider upgrading your electric panel. The upgrade can only be completed by a licensed electrician in Pasadena. There are codes that must be followed and inspections that must be passed. You don’t want to waste time and money by trying to get by with substandard work. It is also a huge safety issue.

Here are some reasons why you would need or want to have a Pasadena electrician upgrade your electric panel.

  1. The panel has been recalled or deemed a safety hazard
  2. You need more electricity coming from the pole into your house
  3. The panel is outdated
  4. The panel is not working safely or properly any longer
  5. Panels that use old-fashioned wiring methods that are now obsolete

You don’t have to know the ins and outs of your electric panel, but if you suspect there is an issue, it is always best to call an electrician to complete an inspection. You will be given the lowdown on your panel and learn whether or not you need to change out your existing panel. Give The Electric Connection a call today and schedule your inspection.